New York Minute
by Cicero-Phelps
Summary: A songinspired fanfic, not a songfic. Just a fleeting idea I had while listening to New York Minute by Don Henley. Note: I don't own the song or Robotech.


New York Minute

By Cicero Phelps

It was a cool night in New Macross City, one of those late summer nights where September's chill precedes the month itself like the lightning that arrives before the rainstorm. Rick and Lisa Hunter had gone downtown to the local stage theater group to watch them perform "Sherlock Holmes and the Sword of Damocles." Minmei played the part of the young female client that Holmes had to assist, and the whole plot was very intriguing and well planned. It was a welcome relief from overseeing the reconstruction of the RDF and the planning for the SDF-3's trip to Tirol, and they had not had a night off in well over three months.

After the end of the play, about 10:00 pm, Rick looked at Lisa and said, "There's a summer carnival going on in the park, would you like to go?"

"It's been so long since I've enjoyed a ride on the ferris wheel, or the bumper cars, or anything from a carnival. I definitely wanna go," Lisa replied, her eyes gleaming like a child's.

Rick chuckled with amusement, then took Lisa's outstretched hand and led her towards the park.

After paying for admission, they went to the nearest line for cotton candy and fresh-shaved flavored ice. Lisa felt a little self-conscious; they were still wearing their formal attire from the theater, and there they were, eating cotton candy and getting ready to go on a roller coaster.

Rick took a tuft of cotton candy and stuffed it in his mouth, looking at Lisa. He had always known she was elegant, even from as far back as when he first saw her face to face. Yet, there she was, consuming cotton candy the same color as her evening gown, which was a muted pink, one that offset her emerald eyes beautifully, showcasing her natural beauty instead of showing off her fiery determination that befit her status as Admiral of the Fleet. They finished their treat, feeding each other bits of lightly spun sugar as they flirted back and forth.

"Next group, please step forward for the ride," the carney called out. Rick and Lisa were fortunate enough to get the front car, and soon, they were strapped in and racing off, hurtling through the gentle curves and slopes of a kiddie coaster. Rick took Lisa's hand in his and threw their arms up on a few hills, laughing like teenagers on their first date, instead of a couple that had been married for two years. The ride went for two laps around the track, and then brought them back to the station. Rick took her hand, like a gentleman, leading her gently out of the car and down the steps to the ground.

Lisa took him by the hand, and they ran, in schoolchild fashion, to the Ferris wheel. The crowd parted to let them take the first available seat on the tiny motorized wheel, and soon they were off and spinning about gracefully, seeing the city and stars from multiple positions on the wheel.

Rick looked into Lisa's eyes, or rather the bright polished emeralds that occupied that spot on her face, and smiled contentedly. He knew he was the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. He had survived death, resurrection, and near catastrophe to get to where he was, and she had gone through worse, by far, but they were on the same path at last, headed towards the bright future that was on the horizon. Their planned trip to the stars would be an extension of their journey together as lovers, partners, and friends, a true unity of body and soul.

On the third trip around, their car stopped on the top. Lisa leaned over, took Rick's face in her hands, and kisses him passionately. Their kiss lasted a few moments, when Rick broke for air. "Wasn't that supposed to be my line?"

"Beat ya to it," she teased playfully.

"I'm not complaining," he said, kissing her back. Then the wheel went in motion again, and brought them back to Earth.

Rick looked at Lisa, a plan forming in his head. He'd spotted a vendor at the entrance to the fairgrounds, one that sold balloons and flowers, and he wanted to surprise her with them. His heart was filled with teenaged giddy, and he had an extra spring in his step as he led her to the line where the bumper cars were. "Stay here, Lisa, I'm going to surprise you," he said with a grin on his face and a light blush on his cheeks.

As he ran away, she called after him, "If you don't come right back, I'm going to get on the bumper cars without you."

Rick didn't answer her as he made a beeline towards the vendor's spot, but found that he had already pulled up stakes and left for the night. He looked around furtively for the vendor, or any sign of the shop that had been there, but none was to be found. Shrugging, he turned around back towards the fair, and started walking back

He slowed his pace, hoping to find the mysterious vendor, or maybe someone of a similar vein, and was not paying attention to anything that didn't look festive. Consequently, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings when he felt the muzzle of a pistol at the small of his back. "C'mon, bub, down the alley, like a good boy," he heard a gutteral voice snicker.

"What do you want," Rick asked, keeping his voice cool as possible.

"What do you think, Mister Hoity-Toity? Your money or your life," came the sharp response.

Rick started pondering how he could get out of his situation when he felt the gun press against his spine harsher than before. He couldn't outrun a bullet, and he couldn't call for help. Fighting back was a foolish option, but it was the only one he would ever consider.

Rick tightened his fist in his front pocket and swung it around, clipping the man's face and leaving a nasty red welt on his cheek. His assailant let out a yelp of pain, dropping the gun. Rick let loose with a kick to the man's teeth, removing a few without the benefit of anesthesia. Rick looked at his would be assailant with anger, then left him on the ground as he walked out of the alley, disheveled but none worse for wear, towards Lisa.

Lisa was walking over towards the entrance to the fair, knowing Rick headed there to "surprise" her, and he hadn't returned yet. She saw him exit the alley, gave a gasp of surprise, and ran over to him. "Rick, are you okay?"

He looked at her, smiling, "Of course I'm okay, now that you're here."

Then, Rick crumpled to the ground in twin loud explosions that rocked him forward and into Lisa's arms. His assailant had shot him twice in the back, laughing as threw the gun into the sewer and running past the downed couple.

"Medic," Lisa screamed in blind horror, cradling Rick's head in her lap. She felt his warm blood staining her left hand, but she didn't care.

"Lisa," Rick started to say.

"Shh, conserve your strength, Rick. The ambulance is on its way."

"Lisa, don't…ever…forget…I…love…you…"

She started crying softly as he spoke to her. "Rick, you'll have many opportunities to tell me that. Don't talk like it's the last time."

Rick shivered. "It's getting cold, Lisa. I'm cold."

By now, a crowd had gathered around them, and a gentleman bystander handed Lisa his jacket without a sound. She gave him a look of gratitude as she wrapped Rick in its warm folds, holding him close to her with every ounce of strength she had. "I'll keep you warm, Rick. Just hang on, the paramedics are almost here."

"Lisa, I can't…I can't see anything anymore. Are you still there?"

"Yes, Rick, I'm here. I'm holding you in my arms, can't you feel that," she whispered, choking back tears as her pink gown soaked up even more of his precious lifeblood.

"I can barely feel you, Lisa. Please hold me, I feel like I'm falling."

"I'll never let go, Rick," she said, full of desperation.

"I can't hear you anymore, Lisa."

"I'm here, Rick."

"If you can hear me, please remember, I'll always love you."

He shuddered, coughed, and then lay still in Lisa's lap. For a small eternity, she heard nothing else, saw nothing else, felt nothing else except his limp body in her lap, spilling blood into her like water flowing over a low dam. The rest of the world faded away to Lisa, even the sound of the ambulance that had come to take Rick's body to the hospital.

She never wore pink again after that night.

The End 

AN: I was listening to Don Henley's "New York Minute" lately and it occurred to me that it was a good song to write a fanfic based off of. Reviews, comments welcomed. Flames are not.

BTW, the lyrics in that song that inspired me are:

"_Lying here in the darkness, I hear the sirens wail  
Somebody going to emergency, somebody's going to jail  
You find somebody to love in this world, you better hang on toothand nail  
The wolf is always at the door_

In a New York minute, everything can change  
In a New York minute, things can get a little strange  
In a New York minute, everything can change  
In a New York minute

_And in these days, darkness falls early  
And people rush home to the ones they love  
You'd better take a fool's advice than take care of your own  
One day they're here, next day they're gone"_


End file.
